A place for all
Whether you crave night life, beach life, dining or just relaxing in resort hotels, Karon has them all. One reason why Karon is so popular is because of the way everything is so widely spread out. It never feels crowded like some other resorts and it gives visitors of the resort the added feeling of peace and tranquillity. Karon beach itself is renowned for its crisp white sands that squeak as you walk. The beach is wide and spans a good six kilometres in length allowing for seclusion for all sun lovers and beach lifers alike. The Karon coast is concentrated over three areas, from the South end which includes a number of cheaper guest houses, budget restaurants and bars to the Sois which lead to the little known art world of Thai painters and artists. A kind of mini art village if you like, where a group of aspiring new Thai artists have built a complex of art galleries, cafes and houses where they live and work together. Heading North of Karon would take you to the Aroonsa Plaza, a new shopping area which opened a couple of years ago.
Here you can find buildings modelled in the traditional Sino-Thai architecture of old Phuket. You can find good cafes and restaurants here whilst for the souvenir hunter there are numerous Thai art and handicraft shops. A footstep of Phuket’s history is also present here. Just near the Karon Circle features sculptures of workers commemorating old days of Phuket when tin mining and agriculture were its main trades. The tin trade was mainly with the English, French and Dutch. Chinese workers and businessmen were employed in the tin mines during the 17th century, the influence of which you can still find today notably with Phuket cuisine and architecture. In 1785 the Burmese attempted an attack on Phuket. The siege which lasted two months ended after the Burmese were forced to retreat. After the demise of tin mining, Phuket’s new main industries then became rubber and tourism. Thailand is now one of the biggest rubber producers in the world, whereas tourism attracts thousands of visitors every year. Karon boasts some of the best restaurants and bars in Phuket. A range of seafood, Thai and western cuisine is available in an array of settings from gorgeous resort restaurants, to the more quaint styles in the center of Karon. These restaurants plus the numerous bars dotted around the center offer Thais, expats and tourists alike a chance to enjoy Karon’s prolific nightlife. Toward the South end of Karon, lies the idyllic Kata beach. Then, a short stroll from here would take you to the famed the Horizon Karon Beach Resort and Spa, a resort set on 16000 sq.m. of land and surrounded by rain forests of lush vegetation. It’s slightly raised position offers wonderful views and also allows for guaranteed peace and tranquillity. Easy access to the area from Phuket town and the more vivacious Patong beach offers its visitors the chance to not only relax and enjoy Karon’s lush tranquil surroundings but also to join in with the more lively activities such as marine sports, exciting nightlife and shopping.